Pricing Debate

Scrip spoke with Amgen’s senior VP of US business operations about the impact of drug pricing and reimbursement pressures coming from government policy changes and commercial payers.

As India seeks to build on early gains in CAR-T cell therapy, experts call for ecosystem reform and also the need to demonstrate value to payer models of large economies to potentially back international reimbursements.

Insights from the first day of the international convention in San Diego also includes interviews on Alzheimer’s investments, dealmaking for mid-sized companies and reflections on the virtues of lean thinking.

The US presidential election in November could mean IRA expansion from a Biden win, but a Trump victory also brings uncertainty.

Indian firms accounted for over 50% of prescription volumes in five of the top 10 therapy areas in the US in 2022, as also 15% of the volume share of biosimilars, delivering savings and widening patient coverage a study by IQVIA said, while also highlighting supply chain risks that need attention.

IQVIA’s latest usage and spending trends report forecasts US obesity market will grow to $35bn by 2028, while the two leading GLP-1 agonists have already posted eye-popping sales growth.

In this week's podcast edition of Five Must-Know Things: Teva’s immunology biosimilar launches; Intra-Cellular’s promising depression data; Phase III sleep apnea win for Lilly’s tirzepatide; an interview with Viking’s CEO; and China looks to define innovative drugs.

The British drug maker’s move follows that of Boehringer Ingelheim earlier this month, which itself followed increasing political scrutiny on out-of-pocket costs.

As drug pricing continues its ascent among hot button issues, the multi-million-dollar price tags for one-and-done advanced therapies, their justification and reimbursement all remain unaligned.

Biopharma veteran Ted Love assured industry that the sector remains fundamentally strong during remarks at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference.

Paul Hudson told Scrip that while the EU's prioritization on matters such as boosting hydrogen use and electric car batteries was laudable, delivery of healthcare and the innovation associated with it should be "a strategic imperative."

The pricing watchdog said 94% of Fabhalta’s price comes from offsetting the cost of AstraZeneca’s Ultomiris, while Novartis said ICER’s analysis has “substantial challenges.”

As use of new obesity medicines become more widespread, experts at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference predicted that paying for them will stress state governments and employers.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review’s new president talked to Scrip in an interview about cell and gene therapy, obesity drugs and the new Medicare drug price negotiation program.

2023 saw a number of gene therapy companies go to the wall, but those that can combine clinical significance and commercial success can build sustainable businesses.

An uptick in deals and an improving macro-economic outlook laid the groundwork for a rosier sentiment across much of the industry at the annual health care conference.